Public employee unions split on support for Kitzhaber

Rep. Dennis Richardson left, and Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber shake hands after their first debate Friday. Neither has received any money from the public employee unions so far in 2014.
(Photo:
KOBBI R. BLAIR / Statesman Journal
)

Oregon's three largest public employee unions have contributed nothing to the campaigns of Gov. John Kitzhaber or his Republican opponent Dennis Richardson so far this year, and they are split on whether they support Kitzhaber at all.

The state's largest union, Service Employees International Union Local 503, announced Tuesday it had endorsed Kitzhaber even though "we don't agree with all of his tactics."

Meanwhile, Oregon Education Association has decided not to endorse or finance either candidate. Spokeswoman Becca Uherbelau said members of the union who participate in its political activities voted on who the union could support, and it chose not to recommend either Kitzhaber or Richardson.

The governor, who pushed for cuts to public retirements as a way to increase education funding, will receive no donations or other support from the OEA's political arm, Uherbelau said.

SEIU Local 503 Executive Director Heather Conroy said in an online statement that the union supports Kitzhaber's approach to "economic justice" issues, such as expanding health care to low-income Oregonians.

She did not say what kind of financial support he might receive.

"We look forward to meaningfully engaging in this race on an appropriate timeline," she said.

When Kitzhaber ran against former Trailblazer Chris Dudley in 2010, the unions contributed a steady stream of money, starting in April and running through October.

This time is different, partly because Kitzhaber faced no serious primary election opponent, pushing the true "start" of his campaign into the summer.

SEIU Local 503 has contributed $8,000 in small amounts to a variety of Democratic candidates since the primary election in May.

Absent from the list is Kitzhaber, Senate President Peter Courtney and Speaker of the House Tina Kotek

—

the three Democrats who worked together on the legislation that cut public pensions in 2013.

Courtney and Kotek received small donations during their primary elections but have gotten nothing from SEIU since then. Kotek is in a safe Portland district, but Courtney is facing his most significant challenge in years from Republican Patti Milne, who recently resigned from her job as Marion County Commissioner.

However, the union's lack of activity in the governor's race is actually on par with 2010, when SEIU waited until October to drop $125,000 on his campaign.

It is, however, a departure for AFSCME Council 75.

State government's second-largest union gave Kitzhaber $30,000 during his primary race in 2010. Later, the national headquarters gave him $100,000 in August and $25,000 in October.

The union gave nearly $159,000 to candidates during the primary election this year; none of that went to Kitzhaber.

Courtney is also absent from the list.

Since then, AFSCME has given $10,000 to the Oregon Democrats' political action committee but has made no other donations.

Neither AFSCME nor SEIU has announced its full list of 2014 endorsements, which are expected to come out closer to Election Day. Spokespeople for the two unions did not return requests for comment.

OEA published its list this summer, but the union has been relatively quiet during 2014.

During the primary election, OEA donated $11,500 to four candidates, including one Republican, Rep. Gene Whisnant.